ये मे मतमिदं नित्यमनुतिष्ठन्ति मानवा: |
श्रद्धावन्तोऽनसूयन्तो मुच्यन्ते तेऽपि कर्मभि: || 31||
ye me matam idaṁ nityam anutiṣhṭhanti mānavāḥ
śhraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto muchyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
ye—who; me—my; matam—teachings; idam—these; nityam—constantly; anutiṣhṭhanti—abide by; mānavāḥ—human beings; śhraddhā-vantaḥ—with profound faith; anasūyantaḥ—free from cavilling; muchyante—become free; te—those; api—also; karmabhiḥ—from the bondage of karma
Translation:
Those men who, with faith and free from ill-will, practice this my teaching, are also freed from the bondage of action.
Commentary:
It is said that men cut the bonds of action by detached and selfless action. From this, we understand that work performed in the true spirit frees man from the bondage of karma. The Karmayogi like the Jnanayogi attains emancipation by following the law of Nishkama karma. The goal of the two paths of yoga is the same though the methods are different.
Always: The principle of selfless action should be applied to every work that man does, and always. Man is acting every moment of his life. So the teaching of the Lord should be remembered and practiced at any moment of life. There is no time set apart for the practice, as the novices set apart a time for prayer and meditation. Karma yoga thus comes into one’s life as a natural law that yields the highest fruit.
Two important virtues are to be cultivated during the period of sadhana – firstly faith, and secondly freedom from ill-will. Faith in the teaching of the Lord is the first step. The degree of faith in God determines the measure of achievement. The deeper the faith the greater is the benefit. And next, ill-will is like the cankerworm. It eats up man’s strength and power. In the field of spirituality, it is a hostile force. All the other virtues which the aspirant may acquire after long struggle would be set at naught by ill-will, envy, and spite. Do not find fault with the Lord; do not feel that He has engaged the worker in a painful action. So faith in God and good-will for mankind are the two weapons for the man of action in the world. Such action performed with faith and surrender to God does not bind man to the wheel of karma. On the other hand, It releases him from bondage.
Question: Who are freed from the bondage of Karma?
Answer: Those who practice the law of selfless action with faith in God are freed from the bondage of action.